Simon Cowell, during a Daily Mail interview today, is asked to explain the point of Britain's Got Talent judge, Piers Morgan, who was fired as editor of the Daily Mirror after publishing hoax pictures.

"Piers is my friend, but he gets on my nerves sometimes. Oh, he can get really pompous. He starts lecturing me about this and that, saying he is an expert on football, juggling or hip hop. Like he has made up the rules.

"When I first met him, he had been sacked and lost all his confidence. I hired him, and now he is the most confident person in the world."

Lost his confidence? For one day, perhaps. Pompous? No, can't see that either. But the lecturing bit does ring true.